Kenya Giraffe Conservation Status Report March 2021
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Country Profile Republic of Kenya Giraffe Conservation Status Report March 2021 General statistics Size of country: 582,650 km² Size of protected areas / percentage protected area coverage: 46,612 km² (8%) Species and subspecies In 2016, the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) completed the first detailed assessment of the conservation status of giraffe, revealing that their numbers are in peril. The IUCN currently recognises one species (Giraffa camelopardalis) and nine subspecies of giraffe (Muller et al. 2018) historically based on outdated assessments of their morphological features and geographic ranges. The subspecies are thus divided: Angolan giraffe (G. c. angolensis), Kordofan giraffe (G. c. antiquorum), Masai giraffe (G. c. tippelskirchi), Nubian giraffe (G. c. camelopardalis), reticulated giraffe (G. c. reticulata), Rothschild’s giraffe (G. c. rothschildi), South African giraffe (G. c. giraffa), Thornicroft’s giraffe (G. c. thornicrofti) and West African giraffe (G. c. peralta). The decline in giraffe range and numbers was further emphasised when most of the IUCN-recognised subspecies were assessed in 2018 – some as Critically Endangered. While this update further confirms the real threat to one of Africa’s most charismatic megafauna, it also highlights a rather confusing aspect of giraffe conservation: how many species/subspecies of giraffe are there? The Giraffe Conservation Foundation (GCF) together with their partner Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre (BiK-F) have performed the first-ever comprehensive DNA sampling and analysis (genomic, nuclear and mitochondrial) of major natural populations of giraffe throughout their range in Africa. As a result, an update of the traditional taxonomy now exists. This study revealed that there are four species of giraffe and likely six subspecies (Fennessy et al. 2016; Winter et al. 2018). The four species are Masai giraffe (G. tippelskirchi), northern giraffe (G. camelopardalis), reticulated giraffe (G. reticulata) and southern giraffe (G. giraffa). The northern giraffe has three subspecies: Nubian giraffe (G. c. camelopardalis), Kordofan giraffe (G. c. antiquorum), and West African giraffe (G. c. peralta). The southern giraffe has two subspecies: Angolan giraffe (G. g. angolensis) and South African giraffe (G. g. giraffa). Two of the former subspecies have been subsumed within other taxa as data support that they are genetically identical: the Rothschild’s giraffe is synonymous with the Nubian giraffe and as such, in all GCF publications, we use Nubian giraffe to refer to Rothschild’s giraffe populations as well. The Luangwa (or Thornicroft’s) giraffe are genetically similar to Masai giraffe though additional research is needed to determine whether to completely subsume populations or consider them subspecies of Masai giraffe (Fennessy et al. 2016; Winter et al. 2018). Based on this research, GCF refers to the updated giraffe taxonomy of four species in all publications, while a taxonomy review by the IUCN is ongoing. GCF is dedicated to securing a future for all giraffe populations in the wild. The following species and subspecies of giraffe occur in Kenya: Species: Northern giraffe (Giraffe camelopardalis) Masai giraffe (Giraffa tippelskirchi) Reticulated giraffe (Giraffa reticulata) Subspecies: Nubian giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis camelopardalis) Conservation Status IUCN Red List: Giraffa camelopardalis (as a species) – Vulnerable (Muller et al. 2018) Giraffa tippelskirchi – Endangered (Bolger et al. 2019); as a subspecies Giraffa reticulata – Endangered (Muneza et al. 2018); as a subspecies Giraffa camelopardalis camelopardalis – Critically Endangered (Wube et al. 2018); as a subspecies In the Republic of Kenya: In the Republic of Kenya (referred to as Kenya henceforth), Masai, reticulated and Nubian (Rothschild’s) giraffe are accorded full protection under the Wildlife Conservation and Management Act, 2013 (No. 47) (KWS 2018). In the Sixth Schedule of the Wildlife Conservation and Management Act, 2013 section No. 47, Nubian (Rothschild’s) giraffe are listed as ‘Endangered’ while the other two species are not categorised in any listing but the hunting or killing of any species of giraffe is illegal in the country. In addition, any person that commits an offence, for example poaching any endangered or threatened species will be penalised a fine not less than 20 million Kenya shillings or a life imprisonment or both penalties. Kenya was among the countries that pushed for giraffe to be listed in the Convention on International Trade of Endangered Species (CITES), with giraffe now listed as CITES Appendix II (CITES 2019). This means that species listed in CITES Appendix II are protected from any form of uncontrolled trade which could threaten their survival (CITES 2019). Additionally, giraffe are also protected by the Convention of Migratory Species (CMS) under Appendix II (KWS 2018). Species listed in CMS Appendix II are migratory species that move across international borders and require international agreements between the range states on their conservation and management. Kenya is actively involved developing additional international agreements in conserving giraffe as agreed in Appendix II, participate in tri- annual Convention of Parties meetings, and financially support the CMS secretariat (Hensz & Soberon 2018). Issues/threats Kenya is home to three giraffe species, all of which vary in abundance and distribution and face their own set of conservation challenges and threats. A degree of uncertainty surrounds the exact geographic and taxonomic limits of giraffe in Kenya (Brown et al. 2007; Hassanin et al. 2007). Recent phylogenetic studies determined independently that the three giraffe species are separate and distinct from each other. Northern and reticulated giraffe evolved with the northern phylogenetic clade, whereas Masai giraffe evolved with the southern clade (Winter et al. 2018). These lineages appear to be maintained in the absence of historical barriers 2 Country Profile: Republic of Kenya – Giraffe Conservation Status Report to gene flow. Several cryptic mechanisms for maintaining what appears to be a long history of reproductive isolation have been suggested, however, this remains poorly understood (Brown et al. 2007). In Kenya, for example, the three species are found within different geographical ranges with natural barriers such as mountains and rivers, and artificial barriers such as fences preventing gene flow. However, recent studies by GCF and Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre (BiK-F) have revealed very low level and historic gene flow between Nubian and reticulated giraffe in some parts of northern Kenya. Although many parts of East Africa remain unrivalled in diversity and abundance of wildlife, conservation efforts in the region face several challenges (Ogutu et al. 2011a). Kenya’s human population has grown exponentially over the last century, with an estimated population density of 94 people per km2, which not only places intense pressure on the land, but also increases habitat encroachment and human wildlife conflict (AWF 2013; KWS 2019; Worldometer 2019). In addition, habitat fragmentation and degradation, illegal hunting, unsustainable land use practices, climate change, and tourism market volatility all pose serious threats to the survival of giraffe in Kenya (Muthiani 2001; Mizutani et al. 2003; Wanala 2005; Githiru et al. 2007; Fennessy & Brown 2008; Ogutu et al. 2011a; KWS 2019). Of Kenya’s total giraffe population, 70% is found outside of government protected areas on communal grazing lands and/or group ranches (Wanjala 2005; Githiru et al. 2007; O’Connor et al. 2019). In fact, most of Kenya’s wildlife (65-70%) is found on communal and privately protected land, necessitating the need for people, livestock, and wildlife to co-exist and share the same natural resources (Wanjala 2005; Githiru et al. 2007; Ogutu et al. 2017). While poverty has been reduced in Kenya over the past ten years, it remains widespread across the country and is especially high in rangelands where the majority of Kenya’s human population comprises of pastoralist groups relying on subsistence agriculture (AWF 2013; Pape & Mejia-Mantilla 2019). Farming often overlaps with critical wildlife habitat, degrading land and putting humans and wildlife at odds (AWF 2013). Additionally, as the country tries to build an infrastructure to support its growing population, it often comes at the expense of areas of rich biodiversity, including important wildlife habitat (AWF 2013). Masai giraffe Masai giraffe are the most abundant giraffe species in East Africa (GCF 2019). However, the proliferation of the species in the southern parts of Kenya is threatened by wholesale changes in land-use and tenure, particularly the introduction of crop farming, logging, charcoal burning, development of urban centres that fragment habitats and disrupt wildlife movements, as well as illegal hunting for bushmeat (Ngene et al. 2001; KWS & TAWIRI 2010; Ogutu et al. 2011a). For instance, in the Masai Mara Ecosystem, the decline of Masai giraffe has been attributed to habitat fragmentation and loss of wildlife dispersal areas, illegal hunting, as well as an increase of human settlements and land use changes (Hofer et al. 1996; Ottichilo et al. 2000; Ogutu et al. 2008, 2009, 2011a). The presence of livestock and increasing human activities has also negatively influenced the distribution of giraffe populations within the Masai Mara